Tension device.



PATENTED APR-.2, 19o?.

s. W. WARDWELL. TENSIGN DEVJGB.

APPLICATION FILES MAY 151.1905.

#Fing 5f.. A

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UNITED s-TATEs PATENT EEroE.'

TENSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

K Patented april e, lee?.

Application. filed May 15,1905. Serial No. 260,502.

Be it known that I, SIMON W. WARDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tension Devices, ol" which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tension devices for -use with creels, winding-machines, braidingmachines, and for other like'purposes.

Myinvention is particularly adapted for use in multiple where it is required to tension a large number of yarns uniformly, as ina creol with its several hundred supplies.

My improvement consists in providing a device whichmay be used in a series t apply a uniform degree'of tension to all of the yarns without particular adjustment of each individual device. A

My improvement further embraces simplicity of structure and operation, compactness, durability, and the elimination ofali liability of derangement of parts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form ot my invention with several modiiieations, and it's arrangement and operation are fully set forth in the following speciication.

Figure' l is a sectional detail view of the preferred form of mydevice; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the device in operation; Fig. 3, an end elevation of the same; Figs. 4 and 5, detail views of two ditl'erent embodiments of thc invention. Y

My invention is especially adapted lor tensioning yarns delivering over the end from self supporting cops without the use of spools. The usual method of delivering from creeis is from spools supported 'rotatively to unroll the yarn; but .this mcthodis open to many disadvantages which limitthe speed at which the yarn can bc taken oil'. 'lhe irregularities in the spools, such as cccentricity of bores and unevenness of the disposition ol the weight about the axis, make it impossible to rotate the, spools at any considerable speed in unrolling without straining or breaking the yarn. By eliminatingthe use of spools and employing sell"- supporting cross-wound packages or cops the yarn may be drawn oli over the ends with a speed of delivery which is practically unlimited; but with this system of delivering great ditiiculty has been experienced in ten-l sioning the yarns to Secure the same degree of tension on all of the several hundred ends.f With the usual .method of adjusting each tere: sion device separately it is practically and commercially impossible to set them all. alike. My invention is so simple that it can be o erated Without particular care or pains on tie part of the operator.

In general my device resembles that class of tension in which the yarn runs between two disks or wheels pressed toward each other to ap )ly resistance to the passage of the yarn.- 1The ordinary way of effecting this pressure is by the application of springs, either with two springs, one actingy against each disk, or with only one spring acting against one of the disks. In some cases pivoted levers have been einploycd to act against the disks b means,offweiehts on` their i're'e arms.. The pressure exerted by springs is always uneven-that is, a spring will 'bear the hardest on one point ot" the disk and tend to `cramp the latter on its bearing, exerting an uneven pressureon the yarn. t is commercially impracticable to manufacture two or more springs .ci exactly the same resiliency, so that no two devices could be made to apply the same tension to the yarns. The expedient of an adjustment for each spring has been resorted to; but even with this arrangement ,it is impossible to adjust. the springs'oi" several devices to the same degree of tension.`iVith thismethod'the operator must test each yarn individually by feeling its tension, and it would require a more than ordm-aryexpertness to regulate by human means 'the tension on a great many yarns. it/'here lc-l Vers are used in applying,pressure to the disk-s, the. same impracticability of uni- Formily in manufacture is alsoexperienced. No two levers can be made exactly alike as regards their bearings .fin excess of fric tion at. the bearing-pointof one lever over that of the other will cause a variation in the -l'orce of that lever, and it is impossible in `ordinary iuaaudaeture' to lsecure absolute' uniformity. lherel'ore the pressure` exerted by'several levers on their respective,

disks'will not be uniform und the tension on tire yarns will vary. l

'lhc improvement oi 'mydnvention consists in' the simple arrangement of elements whereby it is possible to manuiicturc a great number of the devices all adapted to secure a uniform degree of action without IOO IZO

of the operator.

or adjustment on the part ln other words, with a plurality of the devices of my invention exi, actly the same degree of tension can bei maintained on all of the yarns. l With the device herein described it is ne: necessary to secure accurate dimension" vn l manufacture to insure uniform operation of r l particular care several devices. 'lhc iressure applied to the disks is a direct oree resulting from'i the gravity of the weights and without the interpositiondif levers.' lf the weights are the saine on several of the devices, then the I, tension applied will be uniform, whereas if,

as in other ,devices-the force were trans-l mitted through levers the tension of several different devices would depend upon the action of the individual levers-#that if one lever had a free bearing and another av bearing with vconsiderable friction there would be a wide difference in the pressure applied. ln mamifaeturing such a'v large number of devices 'as required for the use to which this device is intended it has been found impossible to produce them witlithe necessary accuracy to secure the uniform tension required.

In the drawings, ciy is a bracket having an inclined face. recessed at b. Fastened in the 1 bracket and extending from the recess is a stud or pin c, preferably of hardened' metal. The pin c extends at right angles to the face of the bracket, so that it. is inclined slightly from the horizontal,the angle of its inclination being preferably about twenty-five degrees, although this may be varied as desired.

Referring particularly to liig. l, two disks d and d2 are mounted rotatively and slidably on the pin c, and against their outer faces are arranged the resilient washers e and c, also mounted on the pin c. `'lh'ese washers are of felt, fiber, or similar material and may consist of one thickness, Fig. l, or o'l'l several thicknesses, as illustrated in l"ig. 4. The inner washer c bears against the face of the recess in the bracket a., and bearing against I' the outer washer c2 is a weightf, also slidable on the pin r to apply pressure to the disk d2. 'lhe washer e is disposed within the recess l; of the bracket 1. and on the opposite faces i of theI weight-f are similar recesses g and g2, i adapted to receive the washer c". 'l`he iurl pose of having a recess in each face o the l, weight f is to guard against misplacenient i of the Weight on the pin, which would be l, liable to occur'if the weight were recessed in i one face onlv. A

The disksvil and d2 are..preferabl v formed with their outer edges rolled over or langi'id, l and it will be seen that with the washer c arl ranged in the rec-ess b and the washer e: in i the ,re iess g the flanges of the disks will exl tend Within said recesses, so that when the.` yarn is drawn down between the. edge .of the weight f and the bracket a it will readily en- 1 disks. ,i

extends from the bracket ay a'sufy i inodate them.

threading, the bracket-a is provided with an extension a2, which in combination with the periphery of the weight f forms a guidingface to guide the thread or yarn between the The pin c ticient distance beyond the weight f to accommodate additional weights i h, &c., which ma f be added when more tension -is required.

he bracket e inay be supported in any suitable manner according to the character of the machine to which the device is attached, a convenient method being that shown in Fig, 2, in which the bracket is formed with a lug i, suitably bored to receive a rod j., eX- tending from the machine. fastens the bracket in position on the rod, the preferable arrangement being to provide a portion of the rod extending fbeyond the bracket for a guide to the yarn.

The operation of my device is as follows:

AThe yarn is led up from the suplypackage s which ll have here represente asa cone, an carried across the rod 1, and thence between .l ter between the disks. To further facilitate l A set-screw .k

the disks d and d2 and partially' around pin c, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The disk will be'separated slightl by the yarn, as shown in Fig. 1, and t e rassure oft weights f and il iv sliding on t e pin c against the washer e" l running between the disks. Yarns vary `mi will apply pressure on the yarn size and have bunches, slubs, and knots, and

when these enlarged portions pass between the disks thel latter open slightly to accom- In this way a constant move? nient or vibration is im lartedto the disks, and this movement is ta "'h up by the washers e and c2, which contract each time the disks separate. This feature is of utmost irn i pertence, for if the disks were arranged to bear directly on the bracket and vweight f the'vv latter would. have to be moved at cach separation of the disks. In movinglthe weightf its inertia would have to be overcome, and

IOO

IOS

this would increase the tension on the yarn As each bunch or slub assed at this point.

disks the Weight wou d be` between the lforce-d upon the would carry it away all pressure would then disk, and consequently exerted on the yarn at this point. weight slid back against the disk, its meinem tuin would increase the"` pressure on the yarn, and in this way with the weightf constantly from the disk d", so thatl no tension -would be sliding up and down and chattering against the disk an irregular or uneven tension would be imparted' to the yarn. -As now arranged the washers c and c provide an elastic yielding element which automatically compensates forauy movement of the disks, and in pin c, and its momentum' be removedl from the When the 1 this way a constant even pressure is maintained on vt he yarn.

I have found by experiment that when the iso ` serves to prevent the accumulation of lint or inclose the pin-as, for instance, in the lider bushing o is provided on the pin c, having its runs over the flange in passing between the posed etween the disks ispresented to the vices no'w known in the art.

' tact with the fiat faces of the disk-at one side the center or axis thereof the constant vibra tion of the disks to allow the passage of enlarged places in the yarn sets up a rotary motion of the disks. This although not always essential is a valuable feature, preventing the wearing of grooves in the disks, for as the yarn is drawn between them the rotary movement brings the entire faces of the disks into contact with the yarnso that whatever wear occurs only goes to smooth and polish the disks evenly. The rotation of the disks also the lodging of nits between the disks.

For most purposes I have found in practice that very little wear will occur on the pin c if the latter is properly hardened but if it is desired to take precautions for greater durability at this point a sleeve or bushing may ent ways shown in Figs. 4 and 5.' In Fig. 4 a

end bearing against the. bracket e. The disks and washers are mounted on this bushing, and the latter is free to rotate on the pin, the Weightf being countersunk atfg, so as to provide zi'clearance to prevent the weight bearing onthe end of the bushing. The yarn passing over the bushing will rotate the atter, so that the wear is evenly disposed about its periphery. In Fig. 5 the bushing is connected with one of tle disks. Thus the disk d2 is formed with a bushing consisting of the hollow hub or flange n, which serves as a bearing on the pin c. The other disk" d is mounted to slide on this flange, and the yarn disks. During the rotation of the disks the entire eripheral surface of the flange n exyarn, so that the wear is evenly distributed over this surface and the device is rendered more durable. Other similar arrangements might be designed for the same purpose.

It will'be seen from the foregoing that my device is much more durable than similar devWith the usual form of tension device, in which the yarn passes between two members, the constant friction of the yarn will in time form a groove' in one or Aboth of the members.. If a coarse specified.

yarn is being tensioned, the channel which it forms by wear will be so large that when a finer yarn is vused the latter will pass through the groove without any resistance, and therefore the device will not apply any teni' sion to the yarn,.and, vice versa, if a line yarn is used first for any length of time it will wear g a narrow groove in the tension members, so that-when a coarser yarn is applied the latter will not sink sinto the groove, but will rub` on the edges, creating excessive friction and abrading and injuring the surface of the yarn. Besides being practically indestructible ment or getting out of order my device is also f most compact. For these reasons its use is particularly advantageous on creels where there are from four hundred to six hundred yarns t0 be tensioucd. After the proper number of weights an,l applied to secure the required degree of tension in one device the operator has only to appl)Y au equal number of weights to all of the other devices, and the same degree of tension for all of the yarns is then assured. It will be seen that the o-porator is relieved of all the responsibility of adjustment or. care 'always necessary where spring tensions with adjustable devices for varying pressure or similar devices are employed v v I am aware that various arrangements of disk or wheel tensions have heretofore been used in the art. Therefore I do not claim the invention of wheel tensions broadly, but only the particular novel arrangement herein described, whercby I attain the advantages hWhat I claim is-' l.A In a tension device, the combination with a bracket having an inclined face, a pin projecting-.perpendicular to said face, resili ent washers surrounding the pin and one of them bearing on the face, two disks mounted on the pin between the washers, and a weight slidable: on the pin to engage the other washer to apply pressure t'o the disks.

2. In a tension device, the combination with a bearing-pin, Aof two adjacent disks mounted on the pin, resilient washers engag-l ing the outerfaces of the disks, and means to exert pressure on the' washers to force the disks together, including a weight slidable on the pin through gravity, to engage o ne of the washers.

3. The combination in a tension device with a stud or pin, of-.whe'els or disks mounted rotatively on the pin and a weight sliding on the'pin through gravity, to press the disks together. g

4. The lcombination in a tension device with a stud orA pin, of resilient washers on the pin, disks rotatable uponthe pin between the washers, and' awveiglit slidable on the pin through gravity, to apply pressure on the washers.

5. The combination in a tension device having rotatable disks with coinciding fiat faces, of means for directing a thread to travel between the Adisks in a curve in contact with IOO `the facesthereof to rotate the same, and af weight directly ei'igaging one of the disks to press the same toward the other by gravity.

6. The combination in a tension device and a weight mounted on the pin to slide through gravity to apply pressure through the Washers to the disks.

7. The combination in a tension device adapted to act on a running thread, of a rain supported a n n angle to the horizontal, a rotative bushingA on the pin over which the thread runs, two disks rotatable in respect to the pin, resilient washers engaging the outer faces oi' the disks, and a weight sliding on the pin, through gravity, to engage one of the washers.

The combination iii a tension device adapted toact on a running. thread, of an in.e clined stud or pin, a disk, formed with a hub or Harige over which the thread runs, mountodv rotatively on the pin, a second disk mounted -rotativelg7 on the hub, resilient Washers engaging the outer faces ofy the disks, and a Weight slidable on the vpin to engage one of the Wasl'iers through gravity.

Q. The, combination in a 4tension device with a bracket, having an inclined recessed face, a stud or pin'projecting from said face, a slidable Weight on the stud, with its'faces recessed to correspond with the bracket, reu silient 'Washers arranged in the recesses, and tWo disks mounted rotatively on the pin between the Washers, and having their edges flanged outward to project Within the recesses of the bracket and weight, substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination in a tension device having?r rotatable disks with coinciding hat faces, of means for directing a thread to travel between the disks in a curve in con tact with the faces thereof to rotate the same, a Weight directly engaging one of the disks to press thesame toward the other by gravity, and an elastic backino of a character to permit the separation of the disks under the action of the thread without changing the position of the pressure means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specioation in the presence of4 two subscribing,r Witnesses.'

SIMON W. WARDWELL, Witnesses:

CnAs. A. EDDY, THOMAS M. CHILDS. 

